Mom in New Mexico chases down child abductor; girl safe

A mother whose 4-year-old was being abducted chased the suspect down and crashed her vehicle into his car, triggering a manhunt, Albuquerque police said Thursday.

The young girl was playing in her yard at an apartment complex in Albuquerque’s North Valley when a group of teenagers saw the kidnapping and ran to alert the girl’s mother.

The family called 911 and the mother jumped into her vehicle and gave chase for about seven miles, unaware the man had pushed the girl out of the Silver Buick before fleeing the apartment complex. The girl was found wandering nearby, uninjured, police said.

The mother followed the suspect and finally rammed into his car near an intersection. He fled on foot.

Police were searching for a person of interest, identified as David Hernandez, 31.

They were also investigating a possible connection to the abduction and sexual assault of a 6-year-old from the same apartment complex last week. The suspect in that incident was described as a male in a silver or gray vehicle.